Jean-Claude Juncker Upsets Some By Claiming 'English Is Losing Importance In Europe'

Jean-Claude Juncker has joked English is “losing importance” in Europe because of Brexit, in a clear jibe aimed at Theresa May.

As the European Commission president’s relationship with May plumbs new depths, he told a conference in Italy he would give a speech in French because English was “slowly but surely losing importance in Europe”.

It follows the commission leaking a scathing account of Juncker’s meeting with May to the German press and the prime minister claiming EU officials were trying to influence the general election.

On Friday, Juncker said at the start of his speech: “I’m hesitating between English and French.

“But I’ve made my choice, I will express myself in French because slowly but surely English is losing importance in Europe and also because France has an election.”